Francis Ford Coppola: Journey into Darkness
In the late 70s and early 80s Francis Ford Coppola was hailed as a cinematic genius. Through the films The Godfather, The Godfather II, The Godfather III, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now Coppola explores the various poignant journeys into the darkness of human existence. Coppola's style through these five films shines through in several ways, but the most obvious is his true dedication to his art. Whereas Hollywood can often swallow up the writers and directors that enter the process with true vision, reducing them and their work to a less inspired work geared towards mass production, Coppola never lost his vision, even in the face of bankruptcy and the ruin of his personal relationships. Coppola continued to believe in his vision for these five films, and it shines through (Lewis 37). The Godfather trilogy is easily Coppola's most recognized and cherished films. These films reflect Coppola's intense interest in family dynamics (Schumaker 87). There are two elements of these films that separates them from the mass of typical 'mobster movies.' One is the sensitivity with which Coppola handles the topic, choosing to focus on the events and the business as a family-centered story as opposed to a cold, impersonal report of the
Of course, this time the relevance of the film was unintentional and Coppola is often cited as questioning whether the film would have been better received had it not been so timely (Hill et al. This film was plagued with tragedy, near tragedy, frustrations, and budget issues. The fact that Coppola is still out there attempting to gain back the ability to produce such intense and beautiful films by making studio-standard films leaves us hopeful that he will eventually come back to true Coppola form. The growth and development of the Corleones reflect the bumpy road of capitalism that America was riding in an effort to expand and grow. The timeliness of this film is due to the fact that it was released in during the height of the Watergate scandal investigations. What is most poignant about Apocalypse Now is that its release stands as a testament to Coppola's intense focus and drive to see his artistic visions come to fruition. The Conversation tells the story of a professional wire-tapper and surveillance man who catches a conversation about a murder plot. The focus has gone from personal service and quality to the pursuit of profit at any cost. An excellent visual representation of this phenomenon is when, in the third film, Michael officially hands over the reigns to Vincent he takes a moment to pause and reflect on the passing of his leading role to his nephew. Vincent is a ruthless leader, and his goals are less about the family and the success of the business than the promotion of his own desires and accruing personal wealth. It is likely the recognition of this sensitivity of Coppola's writing and film production that makes even his failures huge cult successes. Apocalypse Now doesn't discuss the troubles or growth of a nation in metaphorical terms, however. The other way this expansion is in evidence is how the business goes from a small family-oriented and local operation in the first film to a major contender in international financial workings in the third.
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